The Mariners general manager continues his dealing ways, wiggling his way out of Robinson Cano's contract, shipping him and Edwin Diaz to the Mets in exchange for 2018 first-round pick Jarred Kelenic, Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak, Justin Dunn and Gerston Bautista.

From the Flushing side, it's a bit of a confusing move which makes sense and doesn't. Allow us to explain ...

New York Mets: C+

On Robinson Cano: Cano performed well despite his suspension in the middle of 2018. In 41 games after his return from the suspension, Cano hit .317 with an .860 OPS, with six home runs and 27 RBIs. He was also recovering from a fractured wrist, so those numbers are especially encouraging.

Cano has also largely been durable in his career, as 2018 was the first time since 2006 he's played less than 150 games in a season. The trade also gives the Mets some flexibility in their infield, should Cano be willing to move to first. If not, perhaps breakthrough rookie Jeff McNeil could move to third base to try and alleviate the third base issues the Mets have had, or he could play as a super utility guy. McNeil hit .329 in his rookie season, so his bat will be important to the Mets' plans moving forward.

The Mariners are eating a reported $20 million, which turns Cano's deal from $24 million per year over the next five seasons to $20 million per year. That helps, but how much? Even though the Mets are sending Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak (who are owned $36.5 million combined over the next two seasons), you have to hope Father Time doesn't catch up with Cano, and his production matches the dollars he's owed on his contract.

Cano could play some first if they need it, assuming he'd make the move, and split time with Jeff McNeil at second if need be.

On Edwin Diaz: Cano's prowess at the plate is undeniable, but Diaz is the true centerpiece of this deal. Diaz, one of baseball's best relievers in 2018, is under team control through 2022, which gives the Mets a young, explosive, cost-controlled reliever at the back end of the bullpen, something they've desperately needed.

It's hard to argue against Diaz's success - 1.96 ERA in 73 1/3 innings, with 57 saves in 2019 - and as with most relievers, there's a certain volatility year-to-year for bullpen guys. But this move helps the Mets right now and gives them a pretty sure thing in the ninth inning for the next few years.

All things considered, outside of an abysmal June (5-21 record), the Mets were a competent baseball team in 2018. As long as they hold on to their top three guys in the rotation (Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler), and they stay healthy, this is a team that could challenge for a wild card in 2019, or maybe even the division.

On who they gave up: Jay Bruce had a very bad year in 2018, riddled with injuries and general ineffectiveness. When healthy, Bruce is a solid slugger, hitting to a career OPS+ of 109. Not bad. Is he worth $14 million per year for the next two years? If he can stay healthy, he's a 30-plus home run threat, so that's not a bad thing. Plus, in Seattle, he can DH or play right field in the wake of Nelson Cruz's free agency.

Anthony Swarzak had a disastrous first year with the Mets, and that's putting it lightly.

The key for the Mets here is trading 2018 first-round pick Jarred Kelenic, who some believe is destined to become a star. The Mets, who have long been devoid of young, upcoming talent, have started to build a solid core with Michael Conforto, Amed Rosario, Brandon Nimmo and their pitching staff, so trading a prospect with an ETA of 2022 isn't the worst thing.

This is a fairly mixed bag with a mixed message for the Mets. Kelenic, though far from a major-league debut, was rocketing up prospect rankings. As always, prospects are suspects and Kelenic has a long way to go, but to mortgage even a bit of your future for a an aging star coming off a PED suspension is a calculated, questionable and gutsy move.

They lose points for taking on Cano's contract but gain points for getting him at a discount, along with Edwin Diaz to lock down games in 2019.

For new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen, this is a watermark moment. Much like Nuke LaLoosh, he announced his presence with authority. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is yet to be seen.

Seattle Mariners: B

Any time a team can get a top prospect back in exchange for dumping salary, that's a good thing. The only caveat: As per usual, prospects are suspects, and Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn still have to prove they will one day be impact major league ballplayers.

Kelenic, currently ranked No. 62 on MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospect list, Kelenic raked in the Gulf Coast League, hitting over .400. But he's 19, and lots can go wrong between now and an MLB arrival. Still, it's a great building for a potential new Mariners core, something Seattle hasn't had in a long time.

Justin Dunn, MLB Pipeline's 89th-ranked prospect, could make his debut in 2019, but he still has some work to do. He struggled at AA, putting up a 4.22 ERA and a 1.360 WHIP in 15 starts. Still, decent upside as a potential starting pitcher helps Dunn and the Mariners here.

The most important part of this trade is getting out of the final five years of Cano's deal, even if they had to cover some money (a reported $20 million) to get it moved. With the Mariners likely not competing in the AL West against the Astros or even the upstart A's, it's hard to see why keeping Cano around would really help them push for a division title.

Getting Jay Bruce is a good move, as well. When healthy, Bruce is a very good power bat and a decent outfielder. This raises some questions in the outfield: Will Mitch Haniger move to center while Bruce plays right? Will Dee Gordon move back to second? It gives the Mariners flexibility and power following the pending departure of Nelson Cruz.

Dipoto still has a lot of things to consider, such as moving the aforementioned Haniger or the underrated Kyle Seager. There are plenty of moves and pieces that can be moved for the Mariners who will give them decent returns.

Overall: TBD

This moves makes sense for the Mets if they're 100 percent in on more moves this offseason to bolster their lineup. That seems to be the case, but who knows? The Mets have operated confusingly since their 2015 World Series appearance, but the fact that they're willing to add a bat and contract like Cano's could bode well for their willingness to compete for a title soon.

The Mariners are getting a very good prospect, and they got out of a bad-ish contract while understanding they might not be winning any time soon. It hurts to give up a talent like Diaz, but that's the cost of doing business in today's MLB. Team control is what it's all about.